Envelop-moistener.



L. B. WAGGONER. ENVELOP MOISTENER.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 22, new.

Patented June 25, 1918.

QNVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY ti l 1 LLOYD B. WAGGONER, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

ENVELOP-MOISTENER.

naroavo.

Application filed October 22, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LLOYD B. WAGGONER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop- Moisteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to envelop moisteners, and it relates more particularly to an attachment for desks, etc.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an envelop moistener which is automatically supplied with water or other moistening liquid.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is normally in the most convenient position for moistening the gummed surface of an envelop while the latter is in the most convenient position for being closed and sealed.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which may be easily and securely attached to an ordinary shelf or horizontal partition of any desk of ordinary construction.

Another object is to provide a device of this character with a surface upon which an advertisement may be displayed, so that this device may be exploited as an advertising novelty is desired.

Another object is to provide a device of this character in which the wick is sheltered from contact with falling dust or other foreign substance.

Another object is to provide for forming a body portion of this device from a single blank of sheet metal, thereby materially reducing the cost of manufacture, while obtaining the maximum strength and rigidity.

Other objects and advantages may become apparent to persons who read the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device with the bottle or water supply omitted.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the blank from which the body member is formed, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the complete device in position to be attached to the shelf of a desk, in the position for use.

Referring to these drawings in detail, in which similar reference characters correspond to similar parts throughout the several views, the body which is formed of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1918.

Serial No. 197,935.

blank shown in Fig. 2 consists of an advertising plate 5, an upper supporting arm 6 and a lower supporting arm 7 said supporting arms primarily extending oppositely from the central portion of the plate 5 as shown in Fig. 2; but extending substantially in parallel relation to one another when the device is completely formed as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. A supporting arm 6 normally lies flat upon the top of a shelf, while the arm 7 lies flat against the under side of the shelf, and is preferably secured to the shelf by means of a screw (not shown) through an aperture 8 in the arm 7, wherefore, the advertising plate 5 stands with its advertising surface in a vertical plane against the front edge of the shelf.

The lower arm 7 is provided with a pair of wick-engaging elements or jaws 9 and a pair of bottle neck clamps or spring clamping jaws 10. The jaws 9 are turned downward and inward so as to embrace one end portion of a wick 11 in such position that one end projects downward as shown at 11 in Fig. 3. The end 11 is preferably spread, as shown, so as to provide a relatively broad and brush-like envelop-moistening surface. The front or outer portion of the wickclamp is spaced for allowing room for the wick, while the rear or inner part of said wick-clamp is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to prevent accidental inward movement of the end 11. Accidental outward move ment of the wick is prevented by means of a down-turned hiding element or wick shield 12. The element 12 also cooperates with a horizontal element 13 and a vertical extension 14, of the plate 5 for connecting the arm 6 and 7 in fixed relation to one another.

The element 13 is substantially on the same level as the end 11 of the wick and constitutes a gage for preventing too great a pressure from being exerted against the moistening surface. This is of importance, because if too great a pressure is exerted, such pressure causes too much water to be dispensed upon the gummed surface of the envelop, thereby tending to wash off the gum, instead of properly moistening the same.

The water or other moistening liquid is fed, by capillary attraction, through the wick from a bottle or reservoir 15 which is supported by the spring clamp elements 10, and has the lower end of the wick 11 depending thereinto.

When it is desired to fill the bottle, the same may be forced from between the clamp elements 10, the latter yielding sufficiently for this purpose, and when the bottle is filled, the lower'end of the wick is placed therein, and the neck of the bottleis forced between the yielding clamp elements 10. It will be seen that theseclamo elements are convergent downwardly and inwardly, and are curved inwardly at their ends so that the spacetherebetween is. arcuate at opposite sides, and therefore, the bottle is not held rigidly, but. maybe swung forwardand rearward, so that if the same is accidentally struck it willnot break or become dislodged from the support.

From the foregoing, it will, be seen that I have, provided. a. device of this character which it isbelieved will become very popular asan oflice appliance, and meet with a great degree of commercial success.

Although I have stated that this device is useful for moistening envelops, it is also useful as a. moistener for other purposes, for. instance, moisteningthe finger tips for facilitating the handling of papers, money, etc.

Although I have described this devicein minute detail, it is to be understood that thisinvention is not limited; to these exact details of construction and arrangement of parts, but that my invention may be limited only by .the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A supporting member, a wick-clamp and a wick-shield at one end of the supporting member, and a bottle clamp near the opposite end of the supporting member, both clamps and the shield being on the same side of the supporting member.

2. A moistener comprising a support formed from a blank of metal and having an upper arm and a lower arm in parallel relation to one another, said lower arm being formed with a pair of spring clamping elements and a pair of wick-engaging elements, a wick having one end portion engaged by said wick-engaging elements, and a reservoir having the other end of said wick depending thereinto and being normally supported by said. spring clamping elements.

3. A moistener comprising; a support formed from a; blank of metal and. having an upper arm and a lower arm in. parallel relation to one another, said lower arm being formed with a pair of spring clamping elements and a pair of wick-engaging elements, and a reservoir having the other end of said wick depending thereinto and being normally supported by said spring clamping elements, and. being removable from said spring clamping elements and replaceable therebetween at will.

4. A supporting member comprising spaced elements connected at one end, and a wick and a bottle clamp carried by one of the said elementsand disposed in spaced relation.

5. A supporting member comprising spaced elements connected at one end, said connecting portion being extended laterally, an integral wick-clamp near the outer end of one of said elements, and an integral bottle clamp near the rear end of the wick clamp carrying element.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LLOYD B. WAGGONER.

Witnesses:

O. H. ANTHONY, RICHARD S. FARWELL.

Oopicaot this patentmay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of. Patents,

Washington, D. 0." 

